Over time, oiled floors have become increasingly popular in Montréal, Laval, and the South Shore, and that’s because of the evolution in working methods that have created new prospects and have allowed us to improve the protection of oiled floors. At the same time, science has modified the parameters, opening up a whole new world for us with – in particular – natural oil, or rather, natural oils, since there’s a whole range of them. A horizon that changes our outlook and inspires us to create new oiled floors that perfectly match your decor. Styles change with the times, but wood remains timeless, and its virtues endure. We appreciate its prestige, its natural soothing power, its serenity, and its warm coziness. Over the millennia, we’ve been fascinated by its beauty and its unique charm.
When we employ a natural oil to protect our hardwood floor, we preserve its authenticity – its unique character. If a vitrifying coating brings shine, natural oil penetrates the grain and enhances its texture. When you move around on a floor treated with oil, you’re really in contact with the wood. An oiled floor gives you a pleasant feeling that will stir up the bucolic charms of the countryside in you. This is a really advantageous solution that can’t help but delight people living in the heart of downtown who want to make their apartment more welcoming. It’s also worth noting that an oiled finish is renewable, and that each additional layer can only enhance its shine and make it even more splendid. The penetrating oils consist only of natural elements. The impregnating oil is currently the most ecological coating to protect your wood floors. By choosing an oiled floor, you’re also making a gesture towards nature.
When you choose an oiled floor, you’re choosing a floor that breathes. In Québec, an oiled floor is ideal! Indeed, our climate varies depending on the seasons, and the differences in temperature can reach up to 80 degrees Celsius. In the winter time, electric heating causes the ambient air to dry out, which leads, in turn, to the narrowing of the wooden slats.
During the summer time, the houses gorge themselves on humidity and, inevitably, the slats expand. By applying an oil to your floor, you’re helping it out. A varnish seals the wood under a rigid and impermeable film, but oil gently penetrates the wood and lets your floor breathe. Since, by using this technique, you’re allowing the humidity to come into contact with the entire surface of your oiled floor, it will be less likely to swell and become misshapen. Thus, in the long term, you’ll prevent the formation of U-shaped boards that are found in many apartments in Montréal.
Traditionally, floor sanders swore by crystal varnish. While it’s known for being durable, the fact remains that it cements the slats to each other. This phenomenon produces crevices of several millimetres – a phenomenon commonly known as the “block effect.” This effect is explained by the fact that, as we’ve said, during the winter, the wooden slats tend to shrink. And since the crystal welds the boards together, a separation is spontaneously created at its weakest point.
If you prefer a vitrified floor, an intriguing alternative is possible: opt for a water- or alcohol-based varnish. These latter types of varnish won’t cement the wood panels of your floor together, but they’ll form, on the contrary, an airtight film on each of your slats or boards.
Natural oil undeniably remains the coating that best respects the natural character of your wood floor.
One of the great advantages of an oiled floor is that, with proper maintenance, you can preserve it for decades.
Nothing could be easier to maintain than an oiled floor. To preserve it, a minimal amount of skill is all you need. You only have to periodically remove the dust from your floor with the help of a vacuum cleaner or a microfiber cloth and clean it with care products for oiled floors.
It will be necessary to call upon an oiled floor professional to scour it in depth about once every 5 years. At that time, you should apply one or two coats of oil with industrial equipment.
However, if you have an oiled floor for commercial use (for example, a restaurant), it will be necessary to do this every year. Over the years, your oiled floor will require less and less maintenance. It will have acquired the rich, inimitable patina of European flooring that’s so coveted by admirers of beautiful floors.
The oiled and lacquered trends are very in vogue at the moment. People appreciate the sumptuous contrast between modernism and simplicity of oiled floors. If you’re looking for a floor that has a natural, rustic look, you’ll appreciated oiled floors, which have finishes that preserve the authentic warmth of the wood. They deliver a relaxing atmosphere and create a pleasant environment.
An oiled finish has a great resistance to wear and tear, which makes it the number 1 choice for commercial establishments. That’s because the oil deeply penetrates the wood and offers it excellent protection against abrasion. In the long run, it’s possible that your oiled floor will succumb to damage: if your floor is seriously damaged, you can easily repair an oiled floor.
For its first few years, you should apply a coat each time the oil finish gets tarnished. But over time, your oiled floor’s resistance will increase, and it will require less and less maintenance. After some time, its look will become patinated and its texture will match your decor perfectly.
We offer you a wide variety of colours; browse the large selection from our stain supplier. An oiled floor lends elegance and warmth to your interior. It is well suited to all sorts of wood, particularly softwood, to which vitrifying varnishes sometimes tend to adhere less well. However, please note that Canadian maple has a very tight grain, and that oil is better at penetrating the more porous varieties of wood, such as oak. For more ideas, check out our oiled floor and lacquered staircase projects.